Master the metallic eye

By Mel Cornford| 2 years ago

Silver shimmer sensation on Bella and Gig Hadid.

It's your time to shine

The make-up masters at Milan Fashion Week have confirmed it: metallics are back in the spotlight. And this time the focus is all on the eyes. Make-up supremo Pat McGrath first sparked the high-shine trend at Versace’s spring/summer ’17 show, lighting up models’ faces with a shimmering silver highlighter delicately applied to the inner corner of the eye. The effect - simple but striking.

At the other end of the spectrum – and less office-appropriate – legendary make-up artist Val Garland painted graphic silver shapes on models’ faces at Giamba using loose silver glitter, adding a touch of Coachella cool to the collection. Whether you choose to add a dash – or splash – of sparkle, here are three ways to make your shimmer shine. From subtle to high-wattage sparkle, this is your grown-up guide to mastering metallics.

Subtle highlights

When Gigi and Bella Hadid, Naomi Campbell, Adriana Lima and Jordan Dunn hit the Versace runway we couldn’t stop staring. The sleek strands, the perfectly groomed brows, the glowing skin – and those eyes. McGrath applied an iridescent silver pigment to the inner eye, offering a fresh and polished finish.

“It's just this beautiful silvery something around the inner corners of the eyes," she said backstage.

“When I hear silver, I think futuristic, but sometimes when you think about futuristic, you imagine something a little bit ugly – something a that's little off," she admitted.

“But this silver looks right and wearable and beautiful. Plus it's kind of like a jewel decorating your eyes."

A soft wash of taupe eyeshadow and coast mascara kept the look AM appropriate. Opt for an iridescent cream for all-day shine. As a colour guide: Silver shades suit blue eyes. And brown, green or hazel eyes will pop with a swipe of gold or bronze shimmer.

Dial up the wattage. A glitter-flecked eyeliner applied close to the lash line offers a futuristic take on the trend while being subtle enough for day. Apply a charcoal-coloured pencil first and lightly smoke to add definition before using a shimmering eyeliner pen to highlight. As an after-dark option, a wet-look molten pen has stay-put power and gives a more intense finish. Go one step further and paint the entire eye in a high-shine block-out colour. Just keep the pigment on the eyelid, less above the crease – this keeps the look modern, less 80s club kid.

Calling all discos divas. Glitter pigment puts a glitzy spin on a smoky eye. Apply using the tip of your finger and lightly press the particles into the centre of the lid. Take it up a notch with a set of metallic false lashes for instant Studio 54 flair. The golden rule with glitter? Shimmering shades reflect light and instantly draw attention to fine lines around the eye area. So stick to applying high-shine shades to the eyelid. And always apply your base last. That way you can clean up any glitter fall-out before applying foundation.